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Economic development missing piece of puzzle with First Nations: Cohn

As the premiers gathered in the Yukon for their annual summit with the nation’s indigenous leaders Wednesday, it perhaps dawned on them that words will get us only so far. Economic development remains a missing piece of the puzzle.

Beyond the dialogue of reconciliation with indigenous peoples, Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski said “there needs to be frank discussions” and “full engagement” about working together to break down economic barriers, writes Martin Regg Cohn Cohn. (JONATHAN HAYWARD / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

But after long demanding action, some provinces are now demanding further consultations. And reassurances they won’t have to pay the bills.

As Canada’s premiers gathered in the land of the midnight sun for their annual summit with the nation’s indigenous leaders Wednesday, it perhaps dawned on them that words will get us only so far. Dialogue is a starting point, but not the end point.

Economic development remains a missing piece of the puzzle.

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Beyond the dialogue of reconciliation, “there needs to be frank discussions” and “full engagement” about working together to break down economic barriers, argued this year’s summit host, Yukon Premier Darrell Pasloski.

Yukon’s appeal for economic progress — versus process alone — comes against a backdrop of continued delays in the launching of a national inquiry on murdered and missing indigenous women and girls. The Assembly of First Nations complained this month of continued delays in delivering on promised public hearings by the new federal Liberal government.

At previous summits, the premiers chorused their condemnations of former prime minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives for resisting a national inquiry. Again at this week’s meeting, they urged Ottawa on.

But the inquiry is bogged down by demands from Manitoba for more representation, and concerns from B.C. about the mandate.

Moreover, Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett felt the need to reassure skittish provinces that Ottawa does not expect them to defray the inquiry’s expenses. Bennett said “there was some misunderstanding.”

The confusion suggested a lack of communication not only between indigenous and non-indigenous, but among elected politicians. Political talk can be cheap, but national hearings are a sensitive matter, and the stakes are high.

That means finding a balance between environmental mitigation, consultation, and construction, Yukon’s pro-development premier said during a day of debate between his fellow premiers and the top leaders of Canada’s indigenous groups.

Business interests “need to engage local First Nations right off the bat,” he added, stressing that “full-on engagement” is a prerequisite to the environmental regulatory process.

Indigenous leaders added their own admonitions for economic success: Not just consultations, but consent and proper revenue-sharing.

“Before you build anything, build a respectful relationship with indigenous peoples,” declared Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde, repeating the admonition several times for emphasis.

Engagement is a prerequisite, part of the “duty to consult” that provincial governments should embed in legislation governing development over indigenous areas to ensure indigenous groups have a share of procurement and employment.

“I put the challenge to the premiers,” Bellegarde said.

Dwight Dorey, chief of the Indigenous Peoples’ Assembly of Canada, added that revenue-sharing from resource development will always be a “key part” of any consultations and negotiations: “There are various ways of skinning a moose.”

Yukon’s premier added his own caution that, despite best efforts to smooth the way, there will be obstacles, including court challenges from some First Nations in the northern territory.

“Sometimes as you are cutting the trail, sometimes you encounter thorns along the way.” But litigation is still better than confrontation.

And at the end of the day, the indigenous leaders, like the premiers, agreed to continue talking about a national inquiry, and a national development strategy.

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